Hyderabad: Rashly driven high-end bikes causing accidents
Traffic cops say that joy-riders zigzagging through the city roads during peak and off peak hours.
Hyderabad: Rash driving of powerful two-wheelers of more than 150 cc engine capacity by youth on city roads is a cause of many a fatal accident.
As per statistics issued by the Hyderabad City Crime Records Bureau (CCRB), 32 per cent of all accidents involved two-wheeler riders. About 52 per cent of victims in all accidents were motorcyclists. Police says most of them were on bikes with engine sizes bigger than 150cc.
Traffic cops say that joy-riders zigzagging through the city roads during peak and off peak hours create a lot of trouble for other motorists.
An average of 750 cases are booked for rash and negligent driving under both the Central Motor Vehicle Act and IPC. And though the police periodically launch special drives against rash drivers, the number of cases are increasing daily.
Mostly, youngsters ride bikes rashly on wide open stretches at Banjara Hills, Jubilee Hills, Mehdipatnam, Golconda, Bahadurpura, Chandrayangutta, Liberty, Tank Bund, Secunderabad, Begumpet and Panjagutta.
The west zone police had earlier identified some gangs, calling themselves ‘Crusaders’, ‘Danger Bells’ etc., who organised races from one junction to another and one locality to another.
Traffic DCP A.V. Ranganath told DC that special drives were being conducted frequently at certain points. “Special drives on rash driving are one of the aspects along with helmet, driving license and pollution checks. During each special drive against rash driving, an average of 75 cases are registered, and the figure goes up to 750 per month,” he said.
He added that most rash drivers use bikes with more than 150 cc engine capacity. “Very few ride bikes with low engine capacity between 100 cc and 150 cc. In most accident cases, it is usually the rash riders who are the victims as well as the accused,” he said.
In some incidents, police literally ambushed rash riders. “During our special drives, we inform cops at the next junction about rash riders and catch them. We are organising counselling sessions for these riders,” Mr Ranganath added.
Police also send e-challans to the bikers based on evidence recorded by speed guns at some points in the city.